The Arrangement
by MarbleSky
Summary: Judith is being forced to marry a man she doesn't know. Her family refuses to help and there seems to be no way out. Can she escape a life she wants nothing to do with or will she be forced to go through with the marriage?
1. Chapter 1

It was a quiet evening, one that Susannah was rather enjoying, when Judith suddenly burst into the room with a face full of tears. The latter wasted no time in throwing herself onto the velvet couch at the far end of the room, burying her head into the pillows to stifle her sobs. Getting up from the large, comfortable mattress, Susannah immediately went over to her older sister to offer any kind of comfort required.

They were in one of the many chambers of the east wing, a comfortable setting to make residence in. The political status of both Vikus and Solovet had allowed the family to move into the palace, something that Susannah enjoyed immensely. It was almost like being royalty. Judith, on the other hand, repeatedly expressed her dislike for the palace life. It was honestly a nag to hear about her nostalgia for the sound of Regalia's streets.

Judith missed everything about their more modest life. One that had ended only a few months before. She missed hearing the merchants call outside her window that a new harvest had brought in fresh fruit. Or the sound of the children playing with a ball or with a few sticks, practicing with their make-believe swords. They were preparing for a life in the military that was almost inevitable in the Underland. She preferred they didn't, but what was to be done to keep them from it?

War was a horrible thing for everyone, something Judith abhorred with all her might. But she was no one important to do anything about it, so why should she blame the children? All they saw was their relatives train for battles that they sometimes never came home from. Who could be angry at them for wanting to learn all they could before they were thrown into it themselves? All they wanted to do was survive.

The military life was something that was expected of most men unless a specific craft ran in their family, like blacksmithing or farming. Even women weren't exempt from the army, as there was a great number of female soldiers among the ranks. However, Judith didn't have to worry about that.

Her life was going to end up much, _much_ worse.

"Judy, why are you crying?" Susannah asked quietly.

Shutting her eyes tightly to squeeze out any last tears, Judith lifted her head and wiped her sleeves over her face. The fabric from her shirt wasn't the kind to absorb liquids that well, however, and her cheeks remained a wet mess.

"Solovet has made the arrangement," she whimpered with a trembling voice. "It is final."

Susannah frowned. "What arrangement?"

"The marriage agreement!" Judith cried. "She finalized it today with the king."

"So you are going to be married then?"

Judith nodded sadly, feeling more tears coming up. "To the oldest prince. Solovet told me a few minutes ago."

A huge smile spread on Susannah's face, causing Judith to frown. "How is that a bad thing, Judy? You are going to be _queen_. Ruler of _everything_ ," she sang, standing from the couch and twirling on her toes. Her arms were spread out and Judith could have sworn she heard her younger sister giggle.

"Not a bad thing, Suzy? I do not know him in the slightest! I have never even _spoken_ to him!"

Susannah stopped her dancing to look at her sister. "But we were all introduced to him the other day at dinner."

"We are acquainted! That is not the same thing!" she yelled furiously, not happy with the way Susannah was completely okay with this. Then again, she was barely starting her run as a teenager. Everything was still perfect in her eyes. She didn't understand the burdens of getting older. She thought that being queen was a dream all girls had.

Well, not Judith.

She didn't know her future husband, the prince she had been promised to just an hour before. Sure, she had seen him a few times, but they had never exchanged words. It was possible that he wasn't that bad of a person. For all she knew, he was a complete gentlemen. But Judith wasn't about to take any chances. She knew enough of the royal family to want to steer clear of it completely.

It was no secret that the current king was a drunk. It was also very public that he liked to sleep around, never even being seen with the same woman twice in the many feasts the palace hosted. In fact, although he had legitimate children, the oldest now being Judith's fiancé, the king had a few children going around that had no claim to the throne, as they were born outside the royal marriage.

Was that her fate, then? To suffer and keep quiet while her husband went around bedding every other woman he saw? As queen, she really had no important role in society except look pretty standing next to the king while he ruled over everything.

She would have no say in her husband's actions. Who he chose to sleep with was not her affair, wife or not. It left her feeling empty knowing that her marriage would involve more people than just the two of them. Marriage was something every girl dreamed of, the months of planning and anticipation. The excitement of being proposed to and finally saying yes when she felt she was ready.

She didn't expect all of that to be done for her.

Turning to look at Susannah now, who seemed so happy with everything, Judith knew neither of them deserved something like that. The twirling girl looked as if she would have been the happiest person in all of Regalia had she been the one chosen, but Judith refused that fate for either of them. Even if her sister had been chosen and not Judith, that was no life to live decently. They both deserved someone who cared about them. Someone who would go out of their way to make them happy. Not some…stuck up prince.

"How long do the two of you have to court?" asked Susannah, stopping her spin though her eyes still dreamy. She seemed oblivious to Judith's previous outburst.

There was a moment in silence as Judith took time to stop her potential sobbing. And then she remembered what Susannah had asked her.

"Not very long at all," she sniffled. "The wedding is a fortnight from this Saturday."

"So soon?" exclaimed Susannah, finally showing some worry. "Why do I feel like it is being rushed?"

Judith let herself fall back against the couch. "Because it _is_ ," she answered with a sigh. "The gnawers are rising up again and the king refuses to be pushed back into our own territory. He wants to keep his claim over some of the Dead Land!"

"But there is nothing in the De-"

"I know! And yet he plans on going out to battle himself!"

"But he is so… _old_ ," whispered the younger sister, glancing at the doorway as if afraid someone might hear her. When she was confident no one would, she turned back to Judith. "If he dies out there, then you will just be made queen."

"Suzy!"

"I was just saying," Susannah said quietly, stepping back slightly with the stare Judith was giving her. "It does not mean I wish for him to lose his light."

"Still," sniffled Judith. "That is no way to talk. Understand?"

"Yes, _your majesty_ ," she said before rushing out of the room, barely missed by the couch cushion thrown her way.

Instead, the cushion went straight into Hamnet's face. He had just finished dodging an escaping Susannah but was smacked by the soft velvet pillow. He took a moment to look after Susannah with a confused expression before glancing at the fallen cushion.

"Oh, Hamnet!" Judith wailed, running up to wrap her arms around her twin.

"Judith? What is it? Why are you crying?"

"They…they…"

"Who is they? Are they trying to hurt you?"

Immediately, Hamnet pulled Judith away from him with a firm grasp, almost roughly, and shoved her behind him. In a flash he had a dagger in his closed grip, ready to defend his sister at any costs. He scanned the room quickly and failed to see any sign of danger.

At the sight of Hamnet holding the small blade, Judith's heart broke just a little more, if that was even possible. She was sure her mood couldn't get any worse after the news of her horrible engagement, but her brother managed to prove her wrong.

She remembered them playing through the city, running around the fields and hiding in the many halls of the arena. They would watch the fliers zoom in and out of the air, gaping at the seemingly impossible acrobatic movements of the athletes and their bonds. Back then, Hamnet had always protected her, just like now, but never had it scared her. She had recently seen what those hands could do when equipped with a blade. Two very gifted hands in the art of war. It further proved how she and Hamnet were going to start very different lives, away from each other.

She just couldn't decide who had it worse…

Hamnet now thought it perfectly fine to resort to violence for anything. Not only that, he saw nothing wrong in carrying a weapon with him at all times, no matter where he went. She was going to be married into royalty, but she promised herself she wouldn't change in her core.

Could she say the same for her brother? He was slowly turning into a hardened professional, expertly wielding weapons with ease. It was only a matter of time before the boy, barely a man, was sent out to battle himself. And then she would lose him forever.

"No one here is trying to hurt me. At least not physically."

"Then what is it? Please tell me," he said softly, losing his initial alarm and sheathing his dagger just as quickly as he had brought it out. Hamnet found her hands with his own before giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Just…hold me?" she pleaded quietly, doing her best not to tremble so hard.

"Of course, of course," Hamnet nodded, taking her in his arms again. He allowed her to cry into his shoulder, the tears soaking up his dark tunic. They stayed there for a while until Judith ran out of tears, which didn't seem to affect her sadness. Her misery was nowhere near being over and yet her eyes had finally run dry.

As calmly as she could, Judith told the same news she told Susannah a few moments earlier. Hamnet kept a straight face the entire time, even crossing his arms as she tried to keep from crying…again. Just when she thought she'd be done for the day.

When she was finished, Hamnet only sighed and put his index and thumb to the bridge of his nose.

"Mother made the agreement personally?"

"Yes, mother and father were-"

"Then I am sorry Judith, but there is nothing that can be done."

Judith stared at her brother with bitter astonishment. "But I do not _want_ to-"

"It is not about what we want or do not want. If Mother gave orders, we must follow them."

Judith took an involuntary step back from her brother in disgust. There it was. _Orders_. The way that sounded coming from him made her sick to her stomach. She was losing him more and more each day. Taking a moment to recompose herself as best she could, Judith turned away from Hamnet completely and walked away a few more steps towards the couch she had just been laying on. She loved him, and yet she couldn't stand to be with him at the moment.

"I think I need to be alone, Hamnet. I will see you tomorrow at breakfast, alright?"

"What?"

The surprise was easy to discern through his tone. Judith never willingly chose to spend time away from her brother. Being dismissed by her was something completely new to him. He took a step forward, trying to regain a certain lost connection between them.

He sighed. "Marriage was something that would happen eventually, Judith. We need to-"

" _Go_ , Hamnet. Please."

Realizing he would not win this one, Hamnet left his sister with a bow. As soon as he was gone, Judith sat on the couch and put a hand to her mouth to stifle the sobs. This simply couldn't be happening. Everything wrong that _could_ go wrong was happening _at the same time._

She was losing her brother and her sister. Although Hamnet seemed indifferent to his change, Susannah seemed to relish in the fact that Judith would be royalty. How was it possible for Susannah to be blinded to Judith's horrible fate?

But oh, sure. It was all a game for Susannah. No matter what Judith said, her younger sister simply wasn't going to understand. Ever. Never would she grasp the concept that a life had just been destroyed at sixteen.

And this was all thanks to Solovet. As soon as she heard that the king planned on going out to battle, she wasted no time in throwing her greedy hands into the mix. Solovet had always been demanding, causing Judith to ponder whether she loved her or not. It seemed that out of the three children, Solovet only loved Hamnet. Then again, the young man was a rising star in the ranks of the Regalian army, something Solovet was very proud of.

Was becoming the next queen something that Judith could do to finally be important in her mother's eyes? Or was it a political move that was meant to keep Solovet's position firm as new Head of the Military? Honestly, her mother could be so cynical and controlling sometimes.

Or more like _all_ the time.

Why was Solovet so determined to ruin her life?

All Judith wanted was to be back in the city and live a normal life. She wanted to have butterflies in her stomach and tears of joy in her eyes as she walked up to the altar. She wanted to be in love on the day of her marriage. And more specifically, to the man she was marrying. Was it too much to ask?

Now, all Judith wanted to do was die. She had been so adamant with never wishing death on anyone, and yet there was no other solution for her problems.

But death wasn't a solution. It wasn't an option. What did that mean? It meant she was going to have to suck it up and live her miserable life until the day her light was unwillingly taken from her.

Hugging one of the cushions close to her chest, she curled up on the couch and cried herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Breakfast the next morning didn't go all that well.

In fact, it was absolutely horrible. Judith's life seemed to want to start its miserable track immediately, not even giving her a day break. She got the terrible news one day and it was out to ruin her life the very next.

For starters, Judith woke up much later than was expected of her. She could care less what time was decent, but she had never been a late sleeper. It seemed as though her entire day was wasted if she decided to indulge in a few more hours of sleep. Not once had it proved to be worth it, as she usually missed out on the more important things. She was still regretting the time she had slept through the morning when Hamnet and Susannah joined the athletes at the arena. They had flown around for an entire hour while Vikus and Solovet were at the Fount, too far away to stop them. It was a once in a lifetime experience she would never be a part of. And all because she decided to snuggle up under the covers and close her eyes for "five more minutes."

This morning, however, was entirely different. She had no motivation to get out of bed. Not only that, but her entire body felt sore. Judith had gotten about two hours sleep in total, finding it difficult to fall into the depths of slumber.

As she slowly got up from her cocoon of bed sheets and thick covers, Judith yawned painfully and did her best to stretch out. It didn't do more than make her aware of everything that hurt so she stopped just as soon as she had started. Realizing she had to show up to breakfast eventually, Judith dressed as best she could and made her way down to the private mess hall where her family shared meals.

"That is no way to show up to breakfast, Judith," were the first words that came out of Solovet's mouth. "Or out in public in general." She was seated next to Vikus while Hamnet and Susannah sat across her. "You could have made more of an effort to fix that mess on top of your head."

Judith only shrugged as she found her way to her seat. Truly, she had forgotten about her hair, but now there was nothing she could do about it. She wasn't at breakfast to impress anyone. Even if there was some sort of hope for a normal romance, that possibility had been thrown out the window. Judith looked down with distaste as she sat at the table, taking notice of the platter of eggs and potatoes that had started to go cold.

"You might have found warm food if you had gotten here earlier," continued Solovet, not looking up from her meal. "If you were going to be late, you should have done something about your cheeks. So inflamed. It looks like you have been crying all night."

Susannah shifted uncomfortably in her seat while Hamnet shot a quick, almost unnoticeable glance towards them. He focused back on his food in no time and kept his gaze down.

"Are you going to judge my appearance all day, mother?" Judith challenged. "Let us move on to my clothes next, shall we?"

Solovet stopped her fork midway to her mouth and instead shot Judith a glare, seemingly surprised and amused with Judith's attitude. The _bad_ kind of amused. "I do not like your tone," she said through clenched teeth. " _Change it_."

Judith was never one to defy her mother. She was far too intimidated of her. Solovet had an imposing aura that scared even her children. The other reason she refused to disrespect her mother was because deep down she knew it was wrong. Her parents were elders just like every other adult and therefore deserved respect. It was all about manners and consideration.

But Solovet had no consideration for Judith when she made the wedding arrangement, so why should the respect go both ways?

"There are so many things I wish to change about my life, mother. Not just my tone."

Solovet dropped her fork completely and wiped her mouth neatly with a napkin while she finished chewing. There was not a noise in that room while everyone waited for Solovet to react. It was a tension that slowly became painful for Judith. She was unsure how bad her mother's reaction would be. This was the worst thing she had ever done in terms of her relationship with her parents.

"The gnawers are rising again," Solovet said nonchalantly, pausing to clear her throat. She took a moment to sip her water before continuing to address her very confused family. "I am needed out on the field today and I must be free of distractions." She took another drink and then set a venomous gaze on her oldest daughter. "Trust me when I say, foolish girl, that this is the _only_ reason you are being spared from my anger right now."

Judith wanted to cringe at the sight of her glaring mother. It would have been easy to break eye contact and accept defeat like everyone else before her, but she refused to give her mother the satisfaction.

With one final tip of her goblet to finish her drink, Solovet rose from the table with a slight frown. She had things to attend to with her soldiers, Judith knew, but she wasn't done with her mother yet.

"How could you?"

Solovet ignored Judith's comment and only brushed the crumbs from her armor. "Do _not_ get on my bad side today, Judith. You will regret it."

"It could not be worse than what you have already done, mother," cried Judith, perhaps a bit more loudly than she intended. "You have already ruined my life."

Her mother audibly growled and it took all of Judith's strength not to flinch. A sigh was heard from her side and Judith shifted her focus to see her father shaking his head slowly.

"I knew this was a bad idea," he said softly.

"Be quiet, Vikus," Solovet hissed, still looking at their daughter.

Judith kept her eyes on Vikus and raised an arm to single him out. "How can you sit there and not care, Vikus? Do you not see how unfair this is? How can you let this go on?" she whimpered, the tears now falling freely from her eyes. "Or any of you?" she added with a glance to her siblings.

Susannah only sat there with wide eyes, not daring to look at anyone. She was still shocked to see her usually timid sister defying her mother openly. It was not something done _ever_ , and the reason for that was that it only brought consequences. _Bad_ consequences. There was simply no winning against Solovet.

A look at Hamnet revealed a very different nature. He seemed perfectly calm, still eating his food. It was as if he was in a different room entirely. The young man was unfazed by the entire scene happening before his eyes. Untouched by his sister's pain and suffering. Devoid of all emotions and prepared only to follow orders.

Mommy's perfect little soldier.

"I do care, Judith, but you must-"

"I said _quiet_ , Vikus," spat Solovet, still not sparing a moment's glance. She was too focused on her prey, which at the moment was her own daughter. "I will not tolerate this disobedience," she told Judith in a firm voice. "It is a form of weakness. And that is something I do not accept. You can ask Hamnet all about it."

At that, Hamnet's hand movements faltered if only for a second. Solovet's words seemed to cause a reaction in him but he was back in control in no time. If Judith hadn't looked over at him just a split second before, she might have missed it. Then the indifference her brother was showing took over her judgment of him again and she waved it off in anger.

"You will go through with this marriage, Judith, and that is _final_."

Solovet's words seemed to knock the sense back into Judith with a hammer. Of course she knew she would have to go with it. There was no way Solovet was going to back out on this. Still, Judith had hoped with all her might that some miracle would happen, but it proved useless. Her fate had been signed and sealed, and now all that was left to do was exchange her vows with a stranger and wear a stupid crown.

Judith stood from her chair and glared back at her mother, not even bothering to cover her tears. She hated how her shoulders trembled slightly and her bottom lip quivered, but that was slowly reaching the bottom of the list. At the moment, her mother was threatening to take first place. The number one thing Judith hated in her life.

Almost immediately, Judith shook her head from the thought. It was wrong to hate your parents.

...But no one said anything about disliking them. And it was only common sense to want to stay away from people you disliked.

Turning swiftly, Judith walked towards the exit on shaky legs. The trembling had spread to her whole body and she had trouble seeing due to the tears in her eyes. No matter. She knew her way around the bloody palace well enough now to get back to her room without getting lost.

"Do not turn your back on me," her mother called after her with a tone that made Judith shiver. It was truly scary how menacing she could sound without raising her voice. "We are not finished here."

Reaching in her insides for one last bit of courage, Judith turned swiftly on her heel and hollered at the top of her lungs. "I am not scared of you anymore, mother!"

Solovet frowned deeply. "I am warning you."

"Warn me all you want!" she screamed through sobs. "Your threats mean nothing to me now. There is nothing you could do to make my life any more miserable."

Judith was aware that everyone had stopped making noise again, perhaps unprepared for her outburst. Her sister's eyes had grown wide again and her skin was unnaturally pale. Even her brother had a certain look over his face. Solovet had an unrecognizable expression and Vikus seemed to be pleading for her to stop. But she couldn't. Solovet _needed_ to hear this.

"Nothing could be worse than being ordered to marry someone I do not know. Not only do I not want to get married, I never even wanted to move to the palace! You know I hate it here, and yet you forced me to come live here. I would do _anything_ to have my old life back."

Again, the silence was uncomfortable. She wasn't sure if it was because they didn't expect her to scream at her mother or if the rest of them were just waiting for Solovet to run over and slit her throat. Whatever the case, it felt good to yell at her mother and vent her feelings all at once. She was about to sigh in relief when she realized her family wasn't looking at her.

They were looking at someone _behind_ _her_.

Judith turned in time to see the retreating form of the oldest prince as he walked out of the room.

Her fiancé.

She immediately wanted to yell after him but stopped herself before the words could leave her mouth. Her heart dropped slightly when she realized that even if she somehow got him to come back so that she could apologize, she wouldn't mean it. She meant every word she had yelled at Solovet.

Not even bothering to turn back to finish her quarrel with her mother, Judith hung her head and walked out of the room, glad no one called after her. Instead of following the direction the prince had gone, she took the opposite direction towards her room. As she walked through the hallways, she couldn't help but think of him. She was suffering greatly but that in no way gave her the right to hurt someone else's feelings. Had he heard her every word, or had he only heard half? How had he taken it?

She was pulled from her thoughts when a light grasp on her shoulder turned her around completely. It drew a slight yelp from her lips since she didn't even hear the footsteps coming up behind her.

"It is only I, sister," said Hamnet slowly, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Judith took a moment for her heartbeat to go back to normal before responding. "You frightened me," is all she managed.

"Sorry," he mumbled. After giving her a sympathetic look, he frowned slightly. "Are you alright?"

"What think you, Hamnet? Honestly."

Her twin scratched the back of his head uneasily before meeting her gaze again. "I know what you are going through, and I-"

"You know what I am going through? I doubt that _very_ much," she said, crossing her arms.

Hamnet slapped his open hands against his hips in desperation. "Fine, I do not know what you are going through. I just want to reassure you that things will be alright."

"That is a fact for _you_ , Hamnet, not for me. You will always be alright. You are mother's favorite, after all."

"Speaking of mother-"

"Oh, _perfect_ ," she cried, throwing her arms up. "She sent you, right? You are only here because she sent you. You are not here because you care," Judith scoffed. "You are just like her."

Hamnet's jaw twitched as he struggled to keep his composure. "Solovet is only concerned that the prince will complain to his father. It is possible that with his influence, the king might choose to call the wedding off."

"Hamnet, that is the _best_ possible scenario for me," she smiled. There was nothing happy about her mood, but she couldn't deny that the slight chance of that happening had given her new hope.

"Not the best possible scenario for you, sister," Hamnet said quickly. "If the wedding gets called off, you will still have to deal with Solovet for all of this. The outburst in front of the prince is not something she will forget in the next decade. And if the wedding goes through, the one that might hold this against you will be the prince himself."

"I expect it from Solovet. And as for the prince, I do not have high hopes for him either."

Hamnet frowned at that. "Why is that? Has he given you any reason to think he will not be a perfect gentlemen with you?"

"Of course not," she said with an eye roll. "I have never even spoken to him, if you can believe it."

"If anything ever happens, all you have to do is say the word," he said darkly.

Judith took a moment to register his words. "What mean you?"

"I mean that if he ever hurts you or disrespects you in any way, let me know and I will take care of it."

Before she thought her actions through, Judith reached out and slapped her brother hard across the face. The sound echoed off the walls and amplified its resonance. The only reaction from Hamnet was the surprised look in his eyes as she shook her hand in pain. It had hurt her hand more than it had hurt his face probably, but she didn't care. She was completely repulsed by him and his need to use violence for everything. She saw the irony in her decision to hit him, but it was nowhere close to the violence he was referring to. Judith didn't even want to think about what Hamnet meant by "take care of him."

"I hardly know you anymore," she whispered to him.

Her brother was changing for the worse, and it pained her to know Solovet was behind it all. She remembered what her mother had said about asking Hamnet of the consequences of disobedience. What kind of training -or torture- had she made him endure to mold the perfect soldier?

It was a thought that didn't linger in her head for long. Hamnet was in that position because he wanted to be. His enthusiasm for sword training and spars with other soldiers was close to unbearable. He had chosen his path in life, unlike Judith. She wanted nothing to do with her inevitable future.

Hamnet took a step forward and tried to reach for her hands, ignoring the red throbbing skin of his cheek.

"I only wanted to help."

"You are much too late for that," she answered, stepping out of his reach. "You should have done something before this arrangement was made final."

"Mother made the-"

"'Speaking of mother,'" she mocked in her best impression of him, even standing on her toes to reach his height and adopting a frown. "You should go back to her lest she starts missing her favorite pet."

It was cruel, but there was nothing else she could think of saying. There was probably very little he could have done about the wedding arrangement, but the effort would have sufficed for her. He had promised her when they were children that he would always be there to protect her. And now he was idly standing by as her life was torn apart.

What had she told herself earlier? That it was a good thing to distance herself from people she didn't like, right? She needed to live by that concept. It had started with her mother, and now, painfully, it would continue with her brother.

Giving Hamnet one last look that made him understand she didn't want to to be followed, Judith left her brother stunned and slightly hurt as she continued her walk back to her room. The day had only started and yet, sleep seemed so inviting all of a sudden.


	3. Chapter 3

It was at a feast two days later that the engagement was announced. All of the important people were set to attend, as it was deemed mandatory by the king himself. Generals and politicians would be present, even the ones from the Fount. Why wouldn't they be? This wasn't just a common dinner. It was the one that would introduce them to their future king and queen.

Judith was upstairs in her room getting ready for the moment her life would be ruined permanently. Her parents had already finalized the deal with the king, but it wasn't made official news yet. The king would toast at the table with everyone around, and once it was made common knowledge, there would truly be no way out. Even if there was a small chance before of escaping her terrible fate, it would be more than impossible after the announcement. There was no way her mother would let Judith make a fool out of her in front of so many important people.

The gown Judith was to wear for the occasion lay across her bed, silently waiting. Susannah had come by earlier and picked it out for her. It had always been easy for Judith to select her own attire, but today was different. She had no idea what to wear. It was the dress she would wear in her presentation as future queen, something that increased the level of uncomfortable anxiety she felt about choosing it herself.

Judith's personal sense of style had always been a quality many people admired about her, but this time she couldn't bring herself to choose. She might as well be choosing the dress she would be buried in. It was for that reason that she needed her sister's help. Her misery was to be put aside and a gown was to be chosen for the occasion. The time to make an impression on everyone was now. Whether it was good or bad impression was another story. First, she had to get there.

As one of the guests of honor, Judith had to be at the dining hall in half an hour. She secretly thanked her good fortune that her appearance was completely independent from that of her parents. Having Vikus around wouldn't be so bad, but she couldn't stand having Solovet breathe down her neck the entire time leading up to the dinner. Her mother had been absolutely unbearable since the news was broken out to Judith. She had done her best to avoid Solovet since breakfast a few days back, but that careful game of hide and seek would end tonight.

As slowly as she could, Judith dressed herself, making sure to take her time. She was in no hurry. Most of the guests had already arrived, but that was all part of the plan. It was preplanned that making quite the entrance would be in her best interest to impose her authority. The very idea was something that almost made her laugh out loud.

What authority? She would have _none_. Queen was a title everyone feared, but only because of the King. He was the true ruler. Judith was only expected to bear him children so the bloodline would continue.

When she was finally able to get all the pins of her dress in place, Judith turned to look at herself in the mirror. The gown really was beautiful, a gift from her father on her sixteenth birthday. She had forgotten all about it to be honest, and now she was wearing it with a sad smile. It was a wonder how Susannah had found it under the piles and piles of clothes Judith had. She had never worn it before, and she guessed that if there ever was an occasion for it, today was as good a day as any.

Due to the length of the gown, the issue with what to wear on her feet was less of a problem. Since no one would actually see what shoes she was using, Judith went with the most comfortable option. If today was going to be a day of nightmares and terror, she would at least let her feet breathe. She refused to wear those outrageously uncomfortable things Susannah liked to use for special feasts and other events in the palace.

Judith took one final moment to put on her earrings and necklace. They were part of a set, and they seemed to contrast with the gown, making them more prominent than usual on her pale skin. She smiled sadly at her reflection, finding no joy in her stunning appearance. She'd always known she was beautiful, but even when she lived in the city, no one really approached her searching for something more than friendship. Every potential suitor was usually too scared of her mother and her brother.

Perhaps this wedding was the only way she would end up with someone. Who knows? Maybe she would have ended up a spinster.

"Miss Judith?" called a small voice from outside her room.

She turned her head towards the curtain at her door. "Yes?"

"I have come to escort you to the dining hall for the feast," came the reply from the servant girl.

"I will only be another minute."

With one last final breath, Judith silently said a prayer. She hoped with everything in her being that something would happen. Anything at all as long as the wedding was called off and she wouldn't have to go through with this public humiliation.

The servant was patiently waiting for Judith outside the door with her hands clasped together loosely. As soon as Judith walked out, the young girl turned on her heel and was instantly on her way. Judith followed with little difficulty, hardly glancing around. She kept her face firm and her eyes focused on where she was going, feeling her heartbeat increase with every step she took.

When they finally arrived, Judith was surprised to see that other people were there waiting for her. Before she even made it all the way, a woman ran over to Judith and put a firm hand on her back, ushering her to a certain spot. Judith's heart sank when she saw she was being placed right next to the prince. He was dressed in fine clothing that truly spoke of the wealth and power he held.

The prince hardly even glanced at her, something Judith was thankful for. She doubted she could look him in the eyes after their…last encounter, if one could call it that. Judith still wasn't sure what he had heard her say, but no matter what it was, it wasn't good. Not one thing that came out of her mouth in that outburst had been good.

"Alright! Time is running short! Everyone just breathe!" cried the woman in a jittery voice.

After placing Judith next to the prince, the woman had taken to fixing Judith's hair. She was not doing much to change it, but it was probably just to keep her hands busy. The poor woman seemed more nervous that Judith. Sliding her index finger under Judith's chin, she pulled her face up so that Judith's line of vision was more even.

"Chin up, never down!" she ordered. "Hands must not swing and do not speak unless spoken to! Understood?" With that, she patted Judith lightly on the cheek. "And do not forget to breathe!"

At that moment, the doors leading inside began to swing open, causing Judith to tense her shoulders even more tightly. She could already hear the excited murmur of the people at her arrival with the prince.

"Lock arms!" squeaked the nervous wreck of a woman, waving her arms frantically. She and the rest of the servants had moved to the side in order to avoid being in the line of sight. The only people the guests from the inside could see were Judith and her fiancé.

Judith instantly clung to the prince's arm, not worried about whether he liked her or not. His arm was raised slightly, indicating his desire to lead her into the room. Whether it was out of pure necessity to keep appearances or because he just followed orders was a wonder to Judith. And it wasn't like she could think too much about it anyways. Her mind was too busy telling her stomach to stop doing backflips.

Deciding to follow the advice given to her, Judith took to inhaling and exhaling very slowly. As she heard her name being announced and the entire room clap for her, she was sure her face had turned a different color. The embarrassment had surely flushed her face red, but she was also feeling sick enough to believe it could have been green.

Judith walked numbly as the prince led her through the room to their spot at the dining table. She did her best to smile at the strangers she saw sitting all around. Everyone seemed to be staring at her with curious eyes, some of them even hinting at caution. She was not a new face entirely because of who her parents were, but never had she attended a dinner with so many people. No doubt some of them had already connected the dots between her mother's position as Head General and Judith's new position as future queen. What sort of future awaited Regalia with a family that had almost as much power as the royal bloodline?

Having every person of influence in one room and all focused on her was making Judith more nervous than ever. With her luck, tonight out of all nights would be the time for her to do something stupid. Like trip. Almost by reflex, she looked down to make sure nothing was in her way.

After what seemed like an eternity, the pair finally took their seats at the table. Even after getting to their spots, the two of them had to stand patiently and smile until the applause died down. When she was seated, Judith let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Everyone else was slowly returning to their private conversations, though this time they continued to glance at her. She smiled back at the people she caught staring, knowing their conversations were about her.

Judith was new to the game of politics and deception, but being the daughter of a feared general and a respected politician had taught her a thing or two. Telling a sincere smile apart from a grin laced with malice was not easy, but they could lead to serious issues in the future if one was to misinterpret them. She wasn't sure whether the smiles thrown her way were out of benevolence or spite. Just to be safe, Judith responded to all of them with the most honest smile she could muster. You know, despite the circumstance. If this was truly to be her fate, no need to make enemies so early on.

It was another moment until the food finally arrived. Everything smelled absolutely delicious, filling the air with a very pleasant aroma of herbs and spices. Servants stretched their arms to carefully place all kinds of dishes in the center of the table. When they were finished, a few more servants stepped in to fill their goblets with rich red wine.

Good. She was going to need it to get through the night.

The sudden growl of her stomach made her realize she was hungrier than she thought. Judith looked down to locate her fork and knife, completely ignoring the other utensils. She was about to reach for them when she heard the slightest noise come from her fiancé. It almost sounded as if he were trying to clear his throat, but if that were the case, the effort wasn't strong enough to actually fulfill its purpose. Since she wasn't about to turn and ask him directly, Judith decided to ignore it. There was no way she was going to risk looking like a fool. What if it was nothing? She would be the laughing stock of the high society.

Judith had just reached for her fork again when she felt his knee rub up against hers. It was more of a light shove than a simple brush, but now his intention was clear. Understanding that he was trying to tell her something, Judith placed her hand back on her lap slowly and spared a glance around. She realized that no one was actually eating yet and thankfully, they hadn't seen her actions either. They were just sitting patiently, waiting. But for what?

The answer came when another wave of servants approached the table, placing a small bowl filled with warm water in front of all the guests. No one but Judith seemed confused about it, so she did her best to keep a straight face. Watching the prince from the corner of her eye, Judith mimicked his actions and placed both hands in the water. She dipped her fingers again and again, giving her hands a thorough rinse. When he withdrew his hands, Judith was quick to follow, drying her hands on some of the softest towels she had ever felt, which were also provided by the servants.

Once everyone's hands were clean and dry, the servants picked up all bowls and towels before stepping back from the table completely. When the last servant had retreated, the king stood from his chair and smiled wide.

"Let us feast!" he boomed, startling Judith slightly. She might have jumped if she weren't so focused on giving a good impression.

It was only half a second after the king's words that everyone at the table started reaching for the food. Seeing that the prince was grabbing his food already, Judith helped herself to the feast in front of her. She was too nervous to actually eat anything, but she knew it was pointless to refuse the food. Not a very good impression. Plus, Judith couldn't deny that some of it looked _really_ good. Maybe she would actually try some. She hadn't eaten very well since a few days ago when she received the news of her engagement.

Finally ready to try the food, Judith lifted her fork to poke at some of the roast beef on her plate. As soon as she had a firm grasp on her knife as well, she felt the prince's knee on her again. Judith immediately dropped everything as quietly as she could and sat up straight in her chair. Obviously she was doing something wrong again.

Stealing another glance, Judith noticed that everyone had started eating. Even her parents, who sat across the table a few chairs down to her left, had joined the guests and were enjoying their food. The only ones not eating were her and her fiancé. Another glance revealed that the king and her future husband's younger brother weren't eating either. She tried not to frown out of pure confusion.

The arrival of more servants made her want to internally groan. This time, however, the servants were limited to just the four of them. Judith watched as the men and women took the time to inspect her personal platter, even going as far as taking tiny portions of her food and eating them. Her confusion turned to slight trepidation when she realized they were taste testing for poison.

Would anyone try to poison her? Assassinations were rare, but she knew they happened in the past. The thought of that was unnerving, overtaking her initial feelings that something like having taste testers was excessive. She had to stop thinking like a normal person.

She was _royalty_ now.

Er, well at least she would be. Very soon. _Too_ soon.

After a short moment, the servants seemed convinced enough to let them be and back away from the table with a small bow. Judith stared awkwardly, not exactly knowing how to react to someone bowing to her. The others seemed to just wave it off as if it was nothing special, so Judith just looked down at her food again. Despite the tiny amount of disturbance to her plate, the food still looked and smelled delicious. Turning her head by a fraction of an inch, Judith noticed that the prince gave her the slightest of nods before picking up his own utensils.

Letting the corner of her mouth rise to give him a smile, Judith finally began her meal. Whether the prince had seen her smile or not was of little importance. She had made the effort, so that's what mattered.

Then she remembered that if it weren't for what he just did for her, Judith would probably be in tears. There was no way she would live through the embarrassment of having everyone laugh at her for not knowing the proper procedures of a formal dinner.

Returning the gesture of nudging his knee, Judith got his attention pretty quickly. As soon as he turned to see what she needed, Judith gave him the same half smile and quickly dropped her gaze, focusing on her food once more. He seemed to get the message and nodded once more.

It was about halfway through the meal when the King stood up again and demanded silence. He was shaky enough on his feet to have Judith believe he had something a bit stronger than wine in his goblet.

Through slightly slurred words and hearty laughs, the King gave an elaborate speech about how he was proud to have his legacy continue in his children. He mentioned how proud he was to see his son find himself a good wife to support his reign as the next king.

Judith knew that most of the words were scripted, making this seem as normal as possible. The prince didn't "find" himself a queen. They were arranged to marry and there was nothing Judith could do about it. When she heard the King congratulate his son for having such good taste in women, though, Judith couldn't help but blush. Something about choosing someone smart _and_ beautiful.

Finally, as the king's speech came to a close, he ended by saying he was sure he would leave the kingdom in good hands the day he lost his light. Then he lifted up his goblet for a toast. When everyone followed his lead, the King drank down and slammed his cup on the table with a cheer. He motioned for the two of them to stand up as the whole room started clapping.

Getting up quickly, Judith stood next to him awkwardly with a fake smile plastered on her face. The prince looked like he was having the time of his life, waving every once in awhile when he caught the sight of an approving politician or military official. Judith was looking out to the crowd that surrounded the dining table, aware of the glare her mother was sending her. It was a simple look, one that held a very specific message.

 _Don't mess this up._

So she didn't.

Even after the toast was over and they went back to eating, Judith smiled throughout the entire meal, trying to look interested in everything that was being said. She knew the prince hated this as much as she did, but they had to make everyone believe they were happy. If he could act like this engagement was the best thing that ever happened to him, so could she.

Most of the conversations were complete rubbish, small talk to keep the light mood going. There was mention of the red light district of the east wall, the quick demand for more gold, and the transition from old style weapons to bows and arrows. Advocates for the new weapon system spoke openly about making new designs for machines that could launch projectiles while others were worried about what would happen if the gnawers got their hands on them.

Conversations about the harvest and the fishing expeditions would sprout here and there, but in the end, everything always came back to the war. It was through that topic that she managed to notice how the prince would tense up whenever someone mentioned the king. His majesty would be leaving in a few days to lead the fighting in the Dead Land. During the toast, as soon as the king had announced his son's marriage, he went on to say that he would be personally leading the next set of battles.

Glancing over at the king with what she hoped was the highest discretion, Judith saw him enjoying every bit of the night. He had a steak knife in one hand and a large mug in the other, laughing it off with a man sitting next to him. They looked strangely alike in both facial features and physique, as they were both very big and very, _very_ drunk. She almost believed they were brothers but she knew the king had no siblings. Or maybe he did, but they were conceived outside of marriage. Perhaps her future husband's grandfather had been a womanizer as well. Something that was passed on to every generation.

Looking around the table, Judith saw the fake smiles and the false friendships. The more the night progressed and the more people got drunk, it was easy to see how tense things could get. It was all a game of putting up your walls and getting lucky enough to peek past someone else's.

So _this_ was the life that awaited her.

A pang of sadness hit her as she realized how pitiful her outlook on life had turned. All of her dreams were slowly being crushed.

Judith was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she almost didn't notice when her fiancé clenched his fist around a napkin. It was very slight, unnoticeable to anyone else, but she was sitting right next to him. She could almost feel the anger radiating from him as his body tensed even though his perfect smile betrayed nothing. On the outside, he was the ideal prince. A drunk colonel was talking to him and seemed to be the reason for all the anger, but Judith couldn't hear enough of what was being said.

He needed a distraction. Something to get his mind off of whatever that drunk man was telling him. He had helped her, so why couldn't Judith do the same for him? She had never heard anything about the prince being short tempered, but today wasn't the day to find out. Or any day. But the way he was almost shaking with rage made her want to do something to interfere. What could she do, though? Nudge his knee again? Pretend she was confused about something royalty-related and ask for his advice?

Just as she was about to make an excuse to distract him, he got up from the table. There were a few questions from the others as to where he was going but he simply waved them off with a smile. He excused himself politely after wiping his mouth with a napkin and left the room, leaving her there by herself with a roomful of strangers. He was a stranger too, in fact, but she was expected to share her life with him. She was expected to live with him by the end of next week. She expected to find him distant and slightly uncaring towards her for all the things she had said in his presence. She expected him to find companionship in another woman.

Judith swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw him leaving the dining hall.

What she didn't expect was to be abandoned so soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Judith took a moment to blink back the tears that were mysteriously forming in her eyes. She didn't expect to be so affected by the prince's departure. She had thought that maybe after their brief contact they could start to have an actual conversation. It was a horrible thought to share her life with a man whom she never spoke to.

Or to accept that she would share her bed with a stranger.

Shifting in her seat, Judith looked around quickly at the other guests. She was sure that every person had seen the prince leave the room. There were a few confused murmurs about his actions, but no one did anything to bring too much attention to themselves.

Almost as if by instinct, Judith turned to look at Solovet. No doubt she would think this was somehow Judith's fault. _Everything_ that went wrong would be her fault.

Sure enough, her mother was giving her a steely gaze coated with a sweet smile, just in case anyone else was watching. Judith returned the look with a questioning one, letting her know that she had absolutely no idea what had happened or why he had left. Of course, there was the questioning conversation between him and the colonel, but Judith wasn't sure about that yet.

Just as she thought, Judith's gesture simply wasn't enough for Solovet. One quick movement of her eyes to the door was enough to give Judith the order to leave the room as well.

Groaning internally, Judith pushed her chair away from the table and apologized curtly before turning to leave. She heard a few of the people say something about how the lovers needed "time alone" and it took all her strength not to lean over and hurl the small amount of food she had eaten. Just the thought of being alone on her wedding night with a man she didn't know was enough to make her feel sick.

As soon as she had stepped out into the hall, she felt her mother's tight grasp on her shoulder.

"Judith," Solovet began in a cold voice. "Would you like to tell me what is going on?"

"I do not know," she answered quickly with a pleading look. "I swear it. He simply got up and left."

Solovet gave her a menacing gaze. "Maybe it was something you said."

"I doubt it very much, mother. We have not spoken all night."

Solovet frowned. "Then perhaps _that_ was the issue. Now go find him and fix things. It is in your best interest to keep this engagement on."

 _Her_ best interest? Or Solovet's? Of course, Judith wasn't about to ask her that. But how was she supposed to fix things? It's not like she was the one who made him leave!

"Perhaps he only had to…you know…relieve himself," she said uneasily.

"Then you will find out which restroom he chose to do so in and you will wait outside until he emerges," Solovet spat before turning on her heel and returning to the dining hall.

Humiliated, Judith knew she could only follow her mother's orders for the time being.

She vowed that if this marriage went through, she would use her position as queen to defy Solovet in every way possible. That was the _one_ good thing that would come of this.

Now, where to start looking? This palace had so many restrooms that it would be nearly impossible to find out which one the prince had gone to. If she had to pick one though, it would be the closest one, which was just on the other side of the High Hall. Walking carefully in order to avoid stepping on her gown, Judith began her search.

The High Hall was completely deserted. Everyone was inside eating and drinking and talking, leaving the rest of the palace abandoned. Who would be dumb enough to stay out here?

Oh right. Her.

It was only her and that man over there at one of the balconies.

Stopping in her tracks, Judith turned back to make sure she hadn't imagined it. After a second glance, she realized it wasn't in her mind. There really was someone near the edge of the hall where the High Hall ended and looked out over the city. It only took her a second to connect the fancy attire to the face.

It was the prince.

He wasn't moving at all. He was simply leaning on the balcony railing, staring out over the sleeping city. Judith made her best effort to keep quiet while she approached him, making sure she wouldn't cause him a discomfort.

She had to get him to go back inside with her. That was the only way Solovet wouldn't be angry. But what was she supposed to say? How in the world would she start a conversation with him? Maybe introduce herself? Hello, my name is Judith?

The thought of that was suddenly hilarious to her. She was supposed to marry him in just over two weeks and she was still worried about introductions.

It was the giggle that escaped her lips which startled him into turning around with a frightened expression. He looked about ready to swing at her when he realized who she was. Calming down, he gave her a look.

"Do you mean to scare me to death, woman?"

Feeling bad over nearly giving him a heart attack, Judith only shook her head, though she was still smiling slightly. "I wish not to marry a corpse, sir."

The prince's face went from startled to serious, refusing to return her smile. "I know you do not wish to marry at all," he responded with a level gaze, which completely erased the smile from Judith's face. When she didn't reply, he simply turned back around and leaned on the stone railing again. "My death would free you from that."

Death? She didn't wish death on anyone! Not to the king, as Susannah had mentioned, and definitely not the prince.

"I would not blame you for it," he whispered.

She frowned. "For?"

"For trying to kill me so that you can escape this life," he said with a sigh. "I reckon many have tried before you in generations past."

"I would never," she breathed timidly, staring at his back. The way he spoke mixed with the tone of his voice was...heartbreaking. So defeated and vulnerable. Almost as if he was as miserable as she felt. Perhaps she wasn't the only one suffering from this decision. He only shrugged at her response.

Great. This was going _so_ smoothly. Solovet would strangle her if she knew this was how the conversation was going.

"We should go back inside to enjoy the festivity," she tried.

He shrugged again. "There will be another. Take my word on that."

"It seems there is constantly something to celebrate."

"And if there is not, leave it to my father to find something," he finished. "Trust me."

"I do," she nodded meekly. Who was she to go against his word? If there was anyone who knew the king, it would be his son.

Judith stepped closer to the railing, looking down below. The city was dark, but the faint flicker of torches at every doorstep gave the streets a strange golden glow. So warm and inviting. What Judith wouldn't give to be there now. She leaned on the railing just like him, finding a spot a few inches from his.

"Why were you laughing?" he asked suddenly.

The memory brought a smile back to her face. Now that she thought of it though, it wasn't that funny. She was just an idiot.

"Do not tell me if you do not wish to."

"No," she said quickly, turning to look at him. "I was only thinking that I wanted to start a conversation, but I was unsure of whether I should introduce myself first or not. We have yet to introduce ourselves to each other."

His frown told her that it definitely wasn't funny. Her face slowly began turning red with embarrassment when he spoke.

"Lucius," he whispered.

Judith nodded, obviously having heard his name before. However, this was the first time she had heard him say it. "Judith," she replied.

"You…are to be my wife," he said slowly.

"And...you are to be my husband," she replied, mirroring his hesitance.

Lucius frowned again, finally turning to look at her. His eyes were the lightest shade of purple she had ever seen, but what caught her attention the most was that they were filled with the deepest sorrow imaginable. There was a raging storm in his violet irises, displaying a wide range of emotions. Staring into his eyes was like looking at her reflection from the past two days.

"I…wanted to thank you for helping me," she stammered. "I am still…quite unfamiliar with formal dinners and the- hey!"

The prince had quickly reached out and suddenly taken her by the arm to pull her along with him. She let out a cry of surprise as he led her to the edge of the High Hall, closer to the encircling walls. When they were pressed against the wall, hidden behind one of the huge marble pillars, Lucius clamped a hand over her mouth and put an index finger to his own lips.

Judith wanted to squirm and scream and push him away. Her heart was beating so hard she was afraid it would rip through her ribcage. The fight instincts were kicking in, urging her to get as far away from the threat as possible. Now she was wishing she let Hamnet teach her some self defense moves.

It was the look he was giving her that allowed Judith to calm down. His eyes were pleading desperately and had not a trace of malice in them. She frowned in confusion, wondering what in the hell was going on. Staying as still as she could, Judith slowed her ragged breathing down as much as possible. It was only then that she heard it.

"Lucius!"

A voice was calling out to the prince as footsteps grew closer. By the sound of it, the voice belonged to the younger prince, Judith's future brother in law. The steps continued to get louder and the calls came repeatedly. Lucius was tense the entire time, holding his breath even to avoid making any noise. Judith could only assume that he was intent on not going back to the feast. The only thing on his mind was not being found, but all Judith could think about was how strange it felt to have his body pressed so tightly against her.

When the younger prince finally left to continue his search in another room of the palace, Lucius let out a low breath. Slowly, he dropped his hand from Judith's mouth and took a step back from her. Judith stayed with her back pressed to the pillar for a second while she tried to stop her head from spinning.

"You could have just asked me to stay quiet," she said breathlessly. "Asking is so much nicer."

"I had to be sure."

"Or you could have hid and I could have lied and said I had not seen you."

"I do not want to go back in," he mumbled softly, ignoring her comment.

Judith gave him a sad look. Then she looked in the direction the other prince had come from. "I did not hear him coming closer," she admitted.

To her surprise, Lucius smiled slightly. "One person sneaking up on me is enough for tonight. I was distracted earlier when you near scared me to death, but I was not going to let it happen again. Fortunately for me, he was announcing his presence quite loudly."

"Well if he did not find you now, he might try again in a few minutes."

The smile disappeared from his face as he thought it over. His eyes combed the High Hall until he seemed to settle on a solution. Stepping away from her and staring out into the empty air, Lucius let out a series of low whistles. It was only a short moment before a dark shadow came floating down to a spot directly in front of them.

"You should head back inside," he whispered to her as he climbed onto the flier.

"Where are you going?" Judith blurted out. She knew it was none of her business, but staying by herself in a room full of drunk people was not the way she wanted to spend the night.

Lucius sighed heavily. "Anywhere but here."

If Judith were thinking clearly, she would have thought her next words more carefully. It was only after they were out of her mouth that she actually registered her words.

"Can I come with you?"

The look Lucius gave her would surely have turned her red if her embarrassment hadn't already done so. Judith wanted to take back her words and escape the way he was looking at her. Like he was studying her. Staring into her soul.

When she was absolutely sure he would turn around and leave her, Lucius took a step forward and extended a shaky hand. Judith eyed it for a moment before letting out a quick exhale. Today had been a day of impulses and unpleasantries. She might as well start living life with a little more excitement to keep her from an inevitable depression.

The hesitant hand became firm as soon as Judith accepted his offer to help her up. A delightful chill ran down her back when their bare skin made contact. She let his hand guide her as stepped onto the flier with soft steps, hoping the weight of two people wasn't too much for the poor creature.

"Greetings," the bat purred politely.

"Hello," she replied nervously, finding a seat behind Lucius. "Pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure indeed," came the soft purr in response.

Lucius turned his head slightly to give her a quick glance. "Hold on," he warned.

Judith placed her hands on his lower waist and shifted so that she could see over his shoulder. With a soft command from Lucius, the silver-colored bat took lift and shot straight into the air. Judith wasn't expecting the speed and instantly clung to Lucius more firmly in order to avoid being thrown off. She wrapped her arms over his torso and could feel his body shaking with silent laughter. Too scared to protest, Judith only focused on trying to keep from trembling. She hadn't flown since she was a child and was now regretting her idea to fly with him.

The flight continued that way for a while, the bat speeding through the air while Judith struggled not to scream. It was on one specific low drop that the piercing noise escaped her lips, causing Lucius to jump slightly. When she recovered, Judith saw him lean over to whisper something in the flier's ear. After that, the ride was much smoother.

It was another few minutes before they arrived to a cliff. Judith got off the flier to find that the vast space ended on a ledge which dropped down straight into a river. It was a beautiful site with cascades and smooth rocks, ideal for a picnic. The thing that made it even better though was the mesmerizing sight of Regalia in the distance. The tall stone structures stood proudly with their soft golden glow and beckoning promise of warmth.

Smiling at the beauty surrounding her, Judith turned to find Lucius staring at her. More than just a little self-conscious, she dropped her gaze and focused on a spot on the ground. The silence that grew between them only grew more awkward when the flier that had brought them decided to spread its wings and leave them all alone.

Thinking that it was better to start a conversation and get to know him at least somewhat, Judith raised her eyes to look at him again. Her line of vision never got to his face, however. Instead, it stopped at his hand, where a shiny silver dagger was resting.

The realization that no one would hear her screams frightened her more than she had ever been in her life. More than when he had pushed her behind a pillar and covered her mouth. Now, it didn't matter whether she screamed for help or not. They were miles away from the city.

When Lucius took a step forward, Judith discovered she was frozen in place. Petrified in the most literal sense possible. But her fear only turned to confusion when the prince took the blade in his palm and offered her the handle.

"Take it," he whispered. "Now that you have me alone, let us get to why you are really here."

Judith stared at him with wide eyes, her short ragged breaths becoming painful. She was struggling to find an explanation for all of this but couldn't come up with any plausible ones. To accept the impossible was something that was slowly becoming more and more of a necessity.

Oh God. She was going to marry a psychopath.

"No one will ever find out," he continued, taking a few more steps. "You can drop my body into the river when you are finished, and there will be no evidence."

Judith blinked. "…What?"

"You can kill me here, away from everyone."

"N-no!" she stammered weakly, wishing she could feel her legs so that she could back away from his approach.

"I would not blame you for it," he assured her, as if repeating his words from the balcony would encourage her to take the knife.

"Put the dagger away," she pleaded, feeling the tears fill her eyes.

"Take it," Lucius urged, finally standing right in front of her. "I am offering us _both_ a way out."

Judith let the silent tears fall freely. Raising her hands, she put them over the dagger and pushed it down so that it was away from both of them. "Please," she whimpered, hoping her eyes would do the rest of the begging for her.

The prince stared at her for a long moment, remaining completely still while she wept in front of him. With a final sigh, Lucius sheathed the dagger and placed it back on his waist. He turned and walked away from her on shaky steps, heading towards the cliff. Judith was fearful for a moment that he might attempt suicide but was thankfully proven wrong when he sat down a few feet from the edge. She would have tried to run over and pull him back but she was still too shocked to move.

Judith could only watch as Lucius looked over the darkness, much like he was doing at the balcony when she had found him. She wondered what was so fascinating about staring off into nothing.

Finally remembering how to move her legs, Judith walked slowly over to where the prince was sitting. She didn't even bother to wipe the tears off her face. Getting on her knees in a sitting position right behind him, much like they were on the flier, Judith wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her face into the back of his shoulder, letting the rest of her tears go. She could feel his body grow instantly tense at her contact but she didn't care. What she needed was someone to cry on, and his physical presence was enough. No comfort was needed.

He only sat there completely still as she bawled into his tunic, silently letting her get past her trauma. Perhaps he felt guilty and that's why he didn't push her away, even though there was no doubt his shirt would be ruined after this. His clothes were of the finest materials and yet they were the last thing on either of their minds.

Was it his upbringing as royalty that taught him to expect an assassination attempt from everyone he met? Even from her? Had she given him any reason to believe she was trying to get him alone so that she could kill him?

Who would have thought that a person could grow to be so miserable in just a few days. Even worse was the fact that both her and her future husband were suffering in ways completely unrelated to each other. A marriage full of pain even before the vows were exchanged. He had given her a knife and expected her to kill him, maybe not because he didn't trust her, maybe it was just to test her, or maybe because he really wanted to free himself of her. The arrangement was done without Judith's participation and was the worst thing that had ever happened to her, but she had resigned herself to her fate in the end. Instead of doing the same, the prince had considered death over marriage.

He really wanted nothing to do with her.

Pressing her face harder into his back as she sobbed uncontrollably, Judith couldn't decide what was worse: That he was so ready to die, or that he didn't trust her.

For some reason, the second one was much worse.

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 **Hey everyone! Just want to thank you guys for reading this story. I'm having so much fun and I hope you guys are liking it so far. Next chapter is the last one and I'd really like to hear what you guys are thinking.**

 **The concept for this story (and the one about Bartholomew of Sandwich) were ideas taken from drabbles written by Skychip. Maybe you remember him or maybe you don't, but he wrote lots of things that were just never posted up. I've been taking them and adding stuff to make them into longer chapters with his help. There will be tons more stories coming up, and we really hope you enjoy them.**

 **I know I haven't really added author's notes to anything, and I probably should. I'll try to be better at that. Anyways, like I said before, I would looooove to have some feedback, so post a review if you can or send a PM. If you have the time, even if you've already read it, reviewing our story "Sandwich" would be nice too.**

 **Again, thanks so much for everything. See you in a few with the last chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the feedback that has come in for this story (and the other one). I really appreciate you guys taking the time to review or send me a PM. Through them, I've spoken to quite a few of you and I cannot thank you enough for the kind words.**

 **This is the last chapter of this story, and I really hope you enjoy it. I have many more ideas for stories and I'll be working on those next. Both stories I've posted so far have only been a few chapters long, and it looks like they're going to stay that way. I don't think any of the stories will go more than five or six chapters. There's plenty of authors who can give many chapters of awesome writing, but I'll be sticking to shorter stories, and many of them are just one-shots.**

 **Anyways, thanks again for all the support, and I hope you enjoy this last chapter. Leave a review if you can or message me with thoughts and ideas.**

 **Till next time!  
**

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The minutes passed them by as Judith and Lucius sat near the edge of the cliff. Judith thought that maybe after a few seconds her tears would run out, but it seemed she had an endless well inside her. She had cried so much in the past few days and yet the tears kept coming. Five whole minutes had gone by and the salt continued to run down her cheeks and into his shirt.

A slight movement from Lucius made Judith flinch back in recoil. Shoving her away was not out of the realm of possibilities, and neither was striking her. No doubt this was the first time someone _cried_ on a prince. Judith didn't know what to expect.

She was able to relax when she saw him simply turn towards her and extend a hand, much like he had done when he offered to help her climb onto the flier. Taking his hand hesitantly, Judith allowed him to pull her closer until she was sitting side by side with him. When she was situated, Lucius wrapped his arm around her, keeping her close. The warm feel of his hand rested on her arm as he rubbed her gently, almost soothingly.

His touch surprisingly eased her into a more calm state, her violent shudders and sobs turning into nothing more than whimpers and chattering teeth. She allowed herself to lay her head on his shoulder, something the prince didn't seem to mind. In fact, he inched closer and allowed her to better lean into his body.

They sat like this for a while until Judith let out a slow, painful sigh.

"I am sorry," she whispered. "I did not-"

"Sshhh," he breathed in her ear. "I am sorry too."

"Lucius-"

He quieted her with another slow rub of his hand over her arm. "Call me Luke."

Luke. Judith wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but she smiled weakly in her own attempt at comforting herself. The change from formalities to something a little more comfortable gave her a good feeling, motivating her to wipe her tears. She wanted so bad for this stranger not to be a stranger any longer. They were sitting next to each other with his arm around her and he had told her to call him Luke. Maybe this could be the start of…

"I know you do not wish to marry," he stated in a low voice, repeating his words from the balcony.

Well, so much for _that_.

All thoughts of gaining his trust were gone. He was still too caught up in her words from breakfast. She was definitely mad that day and wanted Solovet to hear her out, but how could she have been so stupid as to not think of what anyone else felt?

Deciding not to ignore his comment and be as truthful as possible with both him and herself, Judith could only nod with a sigh. "I would have preferred it to be under different circumstances."

"And to someone else."

"Yes," she admitted. "I never thought my engagement would be something planned without my participation."

Lucius turned back to look into the darkness and remained quiet for moment. Then he sighed. "You are lucky," he whispered.

"Lucky how?" she asked, suddenly bothered by his words. She pulled back from his touch and glared at him with a frown. "Lucky because I am going to marry a _prince_? I am sure you think that is what every girl _dreams_ of."

The sudden loss of contact seemed to have no effect on him as he scoffed, letting a smile curl up on the left side of his mouth. "That is not what I meant."

"Then what _did_ you mean?" she demanded angrily.

The smile left his face as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by that same sad look from before. He turned his head away from her menacing eyes and looked at the beautiful city in the distance.

"You are lucky because however short, at least you had the illusion that you would marry someone out of love." He clenched his fist together and bumped them lightly against the ground a few times. "Me? I always knew I would marry a stranger. Never _once_ was it a possibility for me to find my own wife."

Any trace of anger that might have started building up in Judith dissipated completely. She felt suddenly very sorry for him. It was never good to feel _pity_ for someone, but in this case, it was almost inevitable.

How sad must it be to live a life where everything was planned out by someone else, with every decision made for you whether you liked it or not? She now understood what this decision was going to do for her life. No wonder he said some people might have tried to get out by using drastic measures.

But she also understood something else, and it was harder than realizing her life would now be stripped of its freedom. She realized she was powerless to do anything to stop the marriage that would trap her in that kind of life forever.

"Yet there is nothing we can do about it, is there?" she asked him.

Letting out another sigh, Lucius dropped his head in defeat. He ran his hands through his hair a few times before bringing his head back up.

She took that as a no.

Scooting closer again to sit just as she was doing before, Judith leaned against him cautiously. Her outburst was more than enough reason for him to refuse her physical company and she wouldn't blame him. To her surprise, the sad prince put his arm around her back again and continued rubbing her arm absentmindedly.

"I spoke to my father, but he refuses to change anything," he told her. "He says this is good business. He likes his ale and his pride, and he has already given his word that I will be waiting for you on that altar. If he backed out from this, he feels he would lose respect, and there is nothing bigger than father's ego."

"So after he makes a decision, he does not retract from it? Even if it is wrong?"

"Even if it is wrong," nodded Lucius. "He is a man of his word and will not budge once he has spoken. Rarely will he take consideration from anyone on an unmade decision.." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I was…lucky enough to get him to choose you."

"You told him to choose me?" she asked after a pause.

Lucius shifted uneasily. "I did," he admitted.

Judith was confused and a bit flustered, trying to keep the blush from her face. The thought of entering this life of royalty was terrifying and almost disgustingly repulsive, but the thought of someone _choosing_ her? She wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

The prince frowned, trying to get comfortable by looking out at the surrounding darkness. "General Solovet proposed a marriage between the families, something my father saw beneficial because of who she is and who your father is. Solovet offered Susannah as a potential wife for my brother, but my father insisted that I be the one to wed. He was quite…enveloped already in his decision to join the war."

He sighed, taking a moment to think about his own words. Similar to how he had tensed in the dining hall, Judith could feel Luke's muscles clench in frustration. Clearly the topic of his father bothered him.

"Father said that in case… well, in case something were to happen to him, he wanted to leave me with a wife. He also said that he was quite positive I would choose the wrong woman, so he… arranged the marriage himself," he finished with a frown.

"I did not know any of this," Judith replied, still trying to process everything.

"Solovet insisted I marry Susannah, but I said I would not."

Judith peeled her eyes away from the darkness to look at him with a surprised confusion. "Why not?"

"She is much too young. How old is she?" Lucius asked her.

"Not yet fourteen."

"Definitely too young," he nodded.

Judith frowned. "And your father was not angry that you were going against Solovet's request?"

Lucius shook his head. "He later told me that he was proud I could stand up for myself against a general. Says it is a good quality for the next king. But believe me, even if my father was not on my side, I would have fought it."

Judith felt like a four year old, curious about everything, but she couldn't help the questions that formed after everything he said. Susannah was going to be chosen?

"Why?" she pressed on.

"I believe General Solovet wanted it to be Susannah who married me because…" he trailed off, turning to look at Judith. "Well, because she might be easier to control."

The realization crept into Judith with a maddening rage. It was as if a boulder had slammed right into her, knocking the wind from her lungs.

 _Of_ _course_ Solovet would prefer Susannah to be queen.

If Judith was a victim of her mother, it was nothing compared to how Susannah was treated. She was too sweet to live up to Solovet's harsh expectations. She spent most of the time with Vikus and was easily intimidated by their mother. She would never think to defy her the way Judith was already planning to. She would have been the perfect queen. The perfect _tool_. That way, Solovet would control most of what happened. Solovet herself might as well have been the queen at that point.

Poor Suzy…

"That is why you chose me," Judith said slowly.

Lucius nodded. "I told her that our families would never be united. I said that the only way to have her daughter as the next queen would be to have you marry me. Either that or marry Susannah to my brother and then kill me off. I _swear_ I saw her consider the second option before deciding on the first."

"Then why did it take so long? I have been hearing talks of the possible marriage for many days," asked Judith.

"Really?" he asked with a frown. "I knew they spoke about it before, but the day I was present at the meeting and made the change was the day of the final decision. Up until then, the choice was Susannah."

Judith felt herself turning red again when she considered all she had heard the past week. Every time she had heard Vikus and Solovet speak about it from another room, they only said "she" and "our daughter." Never once did they say the name of the person they were condemning to hell.

Now Judith felt stupid for believing they were talking about her. All along it was supposed to be Susannah, not her. Young, innocent Susannah. The one who would submit to every whim and demand of her mother. The one who would be all too easy to control.

And it was thanks to Lucius that her sister had been saved.

Judith leaned towards him more heavily and suddenly found herself with both arms around his neck. He stiffened at her touch, sitting completely still while she hugged him. It wasn't until she backed away that she saw his expression of surprise and the slight blush that had colored his cheeks. It was honestly kind of cute.

"Thank you," she said finally with a smile.

"For sentencing you to live in a palace forever where you will have no freedom and be married to a man you do not know?"

She nodded her head. "For sparing my sister from all of that."

Lucius smiled back at her, finally understanding.

They went back to her leaning into him and him rubbing her arm, staring out into the darkness and trying to recover. Judith's heart was still beating quickly, and she could tell Luke's blush hadn't left yet. If this was how he was, both charming and awkward at the same time, her marriage wouldn't be so bad.

Then she remembered who his father was and her heart sank again. Why was she lying to herself about all of this? She wanted so hard to believe in him. That he might be different. And maybe he was. Maybe… Just maybe…

"I need to ask you something."

"Anything."

"It is a rather…personal question."

"We are going to be married. I doubt our personal lives will be kept secret from each other for much longer anyways."

"…So you will be honest with me?"

"You have my word."

She swallowed nervously. "Will you… take to other women as well?"

Lucius turned to look at her with a curious eye. "What mean you?"

Judith shifted uneasily, biting the inside of her cheek. "I-I only wish to know beforehand. I know many kings have done it in the past and-"

"Oh."

"What?" she asked, seeing the change in his expression.

"You are referring to my father and his… women."

Unfortunately, Judith's expression and her lack of acting skills gave her away. Lucius let out a low breath.

"Father swears on his life to me and my brother that he never bed another woman while he was married. He says before and after the marriage, there were more than he could count. But a marriage is sacred."

"Do you believe him?"

"I do," he nodded, using the hand that wasn't on Judith's arm to rub his chin. "But mother was only alive two years after my brother's birth. My parents were only married for five years before she lost her light. Father could have married again but did not. I believe that he saw his one chance to go back to his old way of life and took it. He says he misses her and would have preferred she did not die, but who could blame him for having an alternative?"

Judith nodded, trying to decipher what he was saying. From what she understood, as long as they were married, he would not be unfaithful. Right?

"How did your mother die?"

"The plague. There was a very bad wave of it when we were very young. My father lost his wife and his oldest son. Me and my brother lost our mother."

"Would your brother be the next king if he were alive?"

Lucius shook his head. "No. He was only my half-brother. Born outside of the marriage. My father had him before he was married to my mother."

"Oh," she nodded, a bit curious about that. "Do you have any other half-siblings?"

"Another older half-brother. Big ugly brute, he is," Lucius smiled. "I get along with him well. He is inside with my father at the moment."

Judith remembered seeing the king with another man, the one she thought was his brother. Now she knew it was Luke's older half brother.

"They look so alike," she told him.

"York does take after father quite a bit," Lucius nodded. "And in more than just physical appearance. He is no stranger to drinking or philandering."

She had heard that name before. Hamnet had mentioned York once or twice while speaking of his military training. Apparently York was someone very skilled in battle, as he was the only one that could manage to keep Hamnet on his toes while sparring, though Hamnet was much younger. From what she knew, the two had a bit of a rivalry going on, but they got along quite well. She also remembered that the man did not live in Regalia and only visited occasionally.

"York grew amongst the family of General Arche?"

"Aye. He and father are good friends."

Judith frowned. "Even after your father…"

Lucius burst out laughing at that, and although she wanted to be mad at him for laughing at her, she also had the urge to smile. His laugh was honest and a bit contagious.

When he calmed down, Lucius turned to her and cleared his throat.

"Father did not bed the General's wife. Father impregnated York's mother and she died in childbirth. General Arche, who was her brother, kept him for a few days while they decided what to do with him, since he was an illegitimate child. But he grew fond of York and he and his wife opted to raise him with the rest of their children. By the time my father was made king, York was already a few years old, and Father did not have the heart to tear him away from the only family he knew, so he gave General Arche the Fount. Not only was it his form of gratitude, but he insures York will eventually inherit it. It was the best he could do for not being able to leave him as king. From my understanding, it was my mother's idea."

"He was not raised with your father and yet they are so alike. You and your younger brother seem nothing like him," Judith pointed out, hoping it didn't offend him.

"It would probably be more accurate to say that we did not grow up with Father either. We were raised amongst caretakers and nannies. He was always too busy with his royal duties to spend much time with us," Lucius said with a small frown. "Besides, when mother died, he spent quite some time in the mess hall drinking away his sorrow."

Judith smiled sadly. "He must have cared for your mother greatly."

"He did," sighed Lucius. "At least that is what he says. He did not meet her until the wedding day, but he says that they grew to care for each other. Lived a peaceful marriage."

Judith thought about how nerve wracking that might be. Not knowing the person you were marrying until the day of the wedding? She felt a bit relieved that no matter how shaky the first few minutes of the conversation were, at least she was meeting Lucius beforehand. And it honestly wasn't that bad. She felt relaxed and comfortable here talking to him. He was very direct, but he was easy to talk to.

She had wished so bad to start talking to him, believing it would be a challenge to keep him -or herself- interested in their conversation. But there was no effort needed. It felt so natural speaking and smiling and laughing along with him. And so they carried on speaking throughout the hours of the night. Neither of them noticed the bat that had brought them fly by to check on them a few times. They were completely immersed in each other.

They spoke of many things, ranging from her life in the city as a child to his tales of mischief exploring the palace with his brother. With every story he told she saw him stop worrying about his father's trip to the Dead Land and start to focus on keeping her entertained. She noticed that he did whatever he could to make her laugh, and she was glad he had such a genuine smile.

Was she forcing herself to like him because she knew he was destined to be the only man for her? Maybe.

Or maybe not.

Lucius truly was an interesting person. She had more questions for him that she had answers, never fully giving a satisfying response to him while he could explain things to the smallest detail. He spent a lot of time in the royal library reading about pretty much everything. He told her about the plants that grew in the jungle and the creatures that dwelled in the Waterway and of the world above the surface that knew nothing of the Underland's existence.

She also had to turn away every few minutes to hide her blush.

Every time she seemed incredulous about one of his stories, he would give her a cocky half smile that rose from the left corner of his mouth. It was a smile that made her heart rate increase, and she hoped her face wasn't betraying her emotions by turning a bright crimson.

"Trust me," he would say after every story.

"I do," she'd tell him, egging him to go on with the next.

She found a familiarity to his presence, leaning into his side while looking up at him. He pulled away slightly after a moment so that he could use his hands more, making wide motions to emphasize his stories. Judith laughed and laughed, surprised by his outgoing nature. In the events she attended at the arena, he looked so calm and quiet sitting at his throne in the high box. Now, she was seeing a side to him she wasn't sure many other people had seen.

And then a nudging began tugging at the back of her mind. The thought of him being charming and outgoing with someone else made her feel uneasy. Slight jealousy? Not likely. He had said that as long as he was married to her, he would never be with another. But what about those last few days before he vowed to be forever faithful?

Something must have changed in her demeanor, because Lucius stopped mid-sentence to give her a worried look.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," she reassured him quickly, trying to smile again. When that didn't work, she looked away and pursed her lips. "I just…"

"Just what?"

"Well I-I was thinking…"

"Thinking about how we promised to be honest with each other, hopefully."

She smiled at his playful tone, thinking of a way to ease into it. In the end, she found none. If he could be so direct, why couldn't she? The curiosity was suddenly killing her.

"Have you ever been with a woman?" she asked bluntly.

Lucius seemed taken aback by the suddenness of the question. "And this matters because…"

"Because I want to know."

"No," he replied slowly.

"I am not allowed to know?" she asked, hoping the pain wasn't registering on her face as strong as it was hitting her chest.

Luke smiled. "I meant no, I have never been with a woman."

She sighed quite audibly, feeling as though a huge weight that she didn't know was there had been finally lifted. Feeling relaxed again, she took a deep breath, much to Luke's confusion. Ignoring his cluelessness, she focused on trying to see him as someone completely different from his father.

Sure his father liked to enjoy the pleasures of more than one women per week, but that didn't mean Lucius was the same. Right? He said he'd never been with a woman. That was final. But should she believe him?

Deciding that she had no other choice but to trust him, as it had to start somewhere, she looked up at him with a smile.

"Have you?" he asked timidly.

"No," she replied. "I have never been with a woman." She got a laugh out of him with that and found herself smiling wider. "If you meant to ask if I have ever been with a _man_ ," she continued, "then the answer to that is no."

He nodded, apparently clarifying something in his own mind. It wasn't long before they found themselves smiling at each other again despite the blush on both their faces.

And just like that, they were back to talking and laughing. Judith reveled in the idea that maybe, this was the first time he had told those stories to anyone. She listened with an undivided attention that made him gain confidence in his storytelling skills.

He spoke of all the tricks he could do on his bond, Io. He had been bonded with the platinum-silver bat since early childhood, and they were very good at acrobatic movements. He told her of his undying urge to join to teams that played in the arena, but his father didn't let him. He said that it was something unfit for kings and royalty to play.

Whenever he spoke of his father or his brother, Lucius had a light in his eye that was easy to see. Anyone looking would have noticed that he held his father and brother very close to his heart.

It was just out of pure clumsiness that Judith made a comment about his father going off to the Dead Land. He had been telling her of a time when he and his brother were trying to convince the king to stay home from going out and work out a new treaty with the gnawers.

"Do you think he will negotiate another treaty or just go straight to fighting?" she asked.

As soon as those words had left her mouth she immediately regretted them. His shoulders seemed to slump slightly, and his stunning smile was replaced with a look of worry.

"Forgive me," she stammered quickly. "I did not mean to-"

"Please," he said, raising up a hand. "It is not your fault. I just have not taken his decision lightly."

"I would not either," she offered, but that didn't help his mood.

"He seems to ignore the fact that he has family here that cares about him. If he…well, loses his light out there, what is to become of us? I mean, look at me!" he cried, motioning a hand up and down his torso. "I am no _king_."

"Have you spoken to him about it?"

"And say what? That his overage son, who is next in line to the throne, is having separation issues? Not a very good reason." He sighed deeply, shaking his head. "I have sworn that if I ever have kids, I will not put them through the same. _Ever_."

Judith almost blushed at his words. Judging by his expression, he probably didn't realize what he was saying. She knew he was serious, but he was so wrapped up in his anger at the moment that he didn't think to choose different words. He was talking to the only person who would legally give him any children, and the idea of having children with him was very new to her still.

"Sometimes I think about just abdicating and letting my brother take the throne."

"No," she sighed, shaking her head and placing a hand on his arm. "You will be just fine. I believe you will make a _great_ king."

Lucius looked down at her lingering hand for a moment without saying anything. He then slowly looked back up at Judith's face, smiling.

"I will be the best king ever. Better than Sandwich himself."

Judith gave him a cocky grin. "Let us not get ahead of ourselves here."

"Thanks for the confidence," he grinned. "But I will be. And do you know why?"

"No?"

"Because you will be there to help me."

She smiled back at him and gave his arm a small squeeze. "Yes I will."

He looked away from her and stared out onto the city again. "It will not be so bad, this marriage," he nodded, trying to convince himself.

"Perhaps not."

"And we have a kingdom to worry about. Not just ourselves."

"Very true."

They had Regalia to think about. The whole purpose of having royalty was to rule over the people. She would be queen and Lucius would be her king. Her earlier notions of what this would be had turned out to be quite different.

At that moment, Judith decided that she wouldn't be alone in her marriage. It would consist of two people, just like every other marriage. Hers would not be any different. Sliding her hand down his arm, she reached his hand and intertwined her fingers with his, smiling up at him.

As long as his priority was not going to war like his father, her family would be okay. They had all they ever needed in the palace, so her children would live a blessed life, free from war and suffering. As long as she was alive, she would make sure of it. And she knew Lucius would do the same. Maybe he would be a father like Vikus. And as long as she stayed far away from being anything like Solovet, her children would be happy.

Turning to the edge, they stared out into the soft glow of torches that burned quietly in the distance. This would be their city to protect. She knew that one day Regalia would wake up and have a new king and queen to rule over them, and when that day came, she would be ready.

"We can make this a good life," Lucius whispered.

"You really think so?"

"Of course."

Holding her hand and looking out onto the sleeping city was a man who was better than she could have hoped for. One who was already worried about what kind of life he would give their children. One who even before he knew her family, he was already looking out for little Suzy. One that would tell her stories every day to keep her smiling.

She had thought that his marriage was a curse. That it would only bring her pain and suffering and darkness. But Lucius was no curse. He was her gift of light.

Luke rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "We will be okay," he said softly. "Trust me."

"I do," nodded Judith.

And she did.

 _I_ _do_.

She trusted him in every sense.

 _I do._

She no longer believed she was rushing herself to like him. Judith _knew_ she could trust him.

 _I do._

She also knew the next time she uttered those two words, those two very simple, meaningful words, it would be in a wedding dress in front of the entire kingdom, but she no longer feared that day.

In fact, she was looking forward to it.


End file.
